Caltrain ridership hits historic high

For the first time in the nearly 150-year history of the railroad, San Francisco Bay-area's Caltrain average weekday ridership is more than 50,000, according to the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board.

An average of 50,390 riders took Caltrain on weekdays in June. The total number of riders in June was 1,319,404, an increase of nearly 11 percent over June 2011 and also a ridership record. June also marks the 23rd consecutive month of ridership increases.

The increase in ridership is responsible for a corresponding increase in fare box revenue. Fare box revenue is more than $10 million or 22.1 percent higher than last year.

The record ridership is causing crowded trains and to respond to the increased demand, Caltrain will restore four midday trains, which were eliminated last year due to budget cuts and add two new evening trains. The new service will begin in the fall.